Shoe-form.



W. S. LOUGEE.

SHOE FORM.

APPLIUA'IION FILED MAY 10, 1912.

l,()4=3,852o Patented Nov. 12,1912.

I a citizen of the United States, residing at WILLIAM s. LOUGEE, orROCHESTER, New HAMPS IRE, ASSIGNOR' T J. SPAULDIN'G & SONS COMPANY, orROCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE, A FIRM.

SHOE-FORM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 10, 1912.

Patented Nov. 12, 1912.

Serial No. 696,314.

0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, IVILLIAM S. Loosen,

Rochester, in the county of Straiford and State of New Hampshire, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Shoe-Forms; and I dohereby declare the following to be a. full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

The present :invention relates to shoe forms, and more particularly toshoe forms to be placed in shoes displayed as samples.

The object of the present invention is to produce a form having a neatappearance and having improved mechanism for expanding the form to fillout the shoe.

With the above object in view, the present invention consists in theimprovements in shoe forms hereinafter described and particularlypointed out in the claims.

In the drawingswhich illustrate the preferred embodiment of the presentinvention;

Figure l is a side elevation of the shoe form; Fig. 2 is a sideelevation of a shoe with the form inserted, parts of the shoe and formbroken away to show the expanding device; Fig. 3 a bottomview with apart of the form broken away and Fig. 4 is a top view of the form.

Referring to the drawings, the body of the shoe form consists of a shell2 molded from a single piece of sheet material, such as leatherboard,which, although stifl' enough to retain its molded shape, issufficientlyfiexible so that the shell can be expanded to fill out theshoe as hereinafter described. The top of the form is closed so thatviewed from the top (Fig. 4) it presents the same general appearance asa solid wooden last. The closed unbroken top of the formcontributesgreatly to its pleasing appearance when placed in a shoe fordisplay. The bottom of the shell 2 has a longitudinal opening 4extending from the toe to the heel. Since the material is somewhatflexible, the shell can be expanded laterally to fill out the shoe bypushing the two edges of the opening 4 apart- For this purpose,

a toggle 6 isconnected across the opening in the bottom of the shelljust back of the ball portion of the shell. A second toggle 8 isconnected between the middle joint of the toggle 6 and the heel portionof the shell. When the toggle 8 is broken and projects A rudownwardlythrough the opening 4 as illustrated in Fig. 1. the toggle 6 is alsobroken and the edges of the opening 4: are drawn together, thus reducingthe size of. the shoe form. In Fig. 8 the toggles are illustrated asbroken and the form reduced in size insole, as illustrated in Fig. 2.The-toggle is straightened by engagement with the insole and operatesto' straighten the'toggle 6, thus pressing the edges of the opening 4apart and expanding the shell laterally so that it fills out the shoeand draws the forepart of the shoe upper smooth and free from wrinkles.

Since the expanding mechanism is operated by engagement with the shoewhen the form is inserted in the shoe, it is possible to make a formhaving an unbrolmn top and to entirely conceal the mechanism forexpending the form from view when the form is in the shoe.

While the .preferred embodiment of the present invention has beenspecifically illustrated and described, itis to be understood,

however, thatgthe present "invention is not llIIlltGd to the illustrateddetails of construction, but may be embodied in other constructions ofshoe forms within the scope of the invention as defined in the followingclaims.

1. A shoe form having, in combination, a shell of flexible material, andmeans projecting below the shell to engage theinsole of the shoe and beforced upwardly by the insoleand expand the shell when the form ispressed down into the shoe, substantially as described.

2. A shoe form having, in combination, a

shell of flexible material forming both the fore part and heel part ofthe form, and means for expanding the shell comprising a toggleconnected between the fore partand heel part and having its middle jointprojecting below the shoe form when the toggle is broken so as toengagethe insole of the shoe and be forced upwardly by the insole tostraighten the toggle when the form is lit avnd means for expanding theshell laterally hen the form is inserted in the shoe 0e111- prising ateggle eiending laterally across.

10 the opening, a secoricltogglewonnected between the first toggle andthe hemi t dfthe form and having its 'middle'joint projecting below theform when the toggle is broken so as to engage the insole of the shoeand be 1 forced upwardly by the insoleto straighten Copies of thispatent may be obtained for the toggle when the form is pressed down intothe shoe, substantially as described. i. A shoe form having, incombination, a body having an expansible fore part and a heel partformed integrally therewith, and 2 means for expanding the fore 'p'artconnected between the fore part and heel part and projecting below theform to engage the insole of the shoe and be forced upwardly by theinsole when the form is pressed down -into the shoe, substantially asdescribed.

I WILLIAM S. LOUGEE. Witnesses: SAMUEL D. FELKER, EDNA F. MESERVE.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington,D, C,

